SerpApi alternatives · cheaper per search, and when to stay
If you are leaving SerpApi to pay less for Google results, use SearchApi, which costs $250 for 100,000 searches against SerpApi's $725. If you also need the text of each page, use Firecrawl.
our pick for you
Our pick
If you are leaving SerpApi to pay less for Google results, use SearchApi. If you need the text of the pages as well as the results, use Firecrawl.
- SerpApi and SearchApi both charge only for searches that work.
- The math at 30,000 searches a month: SerpApi Big Data is $275 and SearchApi Production is $100, a gap of $175 a month.
- The math at 100,000 searches a month: SerpApi Searcher is $725 and SearchApi BigData is $250, a gap of $475 a month.
- SearchApi lets you use only 20% of your plan's searches in any one hour, so spread big jobs across the day.
- Firecrawl charges 2 credits per 10 search results and lets you read the pages from the same credits.
- At 1,000 searches a month or fewer, SerpApi Starter at $25 beats SearchApi's smallest plan at $40.
Ranked picks
- #1
SearchApitop pickBest for: Teams that only need Google results as data and want the lowest price per search.
- The math: Production is $100 ÷ 35 = about $2.86 per 1,000 searches, against $10.00 on SerpApi Production.
- Self-serve plans go up to 5,000,000 searches a month for $5,000.
- You get 100 free searches to test, with no card.
- #2
Best for: Teams that need search results and the text of each page in one bill.
- A search costs 2 credits per 10 results, so Standard covers 50,000 searches if you read no pages.
- The math: $83 ÷ 50 = about $1.66 per 1,000 searches on Standard, billed yearly.
- Reading a plain page costs 1 credit from the same balance.
- #3
Best for: Teams building AI tools that look up facts and want the most correct answers.
- It scored 99.3% on that 300-question test.
Compare
| Tool | Price band | Best for | Dealbreaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 SearchApi | From $40 a month. | Teams that only need Google results as data and want the lowest price per search. | You can use only 20% of your plan's searches in one hour. |
| #2 Firecrawl | From $16 a month yearly. | Teams that need search results and the text of each page in one bill. | Searches and page reads share one balance. |
| #3 Exa | $7 per 1,000 searches. | Teams building AI tools that look up facts and want the most correct answers. | It costs more per search than SearchApi. |
MethodHow we scored these tools▾
We compared each tool's monthly price for the same number of searches, using each tool's own pricing page, checked October 12, 2026. We also looked at the hourly limits, because a cheap plan that caps you each hour can slow a big job.
Who it's for
buy if
- Use this page if you call SerpApi from your own code and your bill is growing.
- Use this page if you run more than 1,000 searches a month.
- Use this page if you need to read the pages behind the results, too.
skip if
- Skip this page if you run 1,000 searches a month or fewer, because SerpApi's $25 Starter plan is cheaper.
- Skip this page if you want an AI tool to answer questions for you and don't need raw Google results.
How to pick by the job you need done
If you need Google results as data, like titles and links, use SearchApi.
If you need the results and the text of each page they point to, use Firecrawl.
If you are building an AI tool that answers questions, look at an AI search tool like Exa.
What 100,000 searches a month costs on each tool
Take a team that runs 100,000 searches a month.
The math on SerpApi: the Searcher plan is $725 a month for 100,000 searches.
The math on SearchApi: the BigData plan is $250 a month for 100,000 searches. That is $475 less than SerpApi each month, or $475 × 12 = $5,700 a year.
The math on Firecrawl: 100,000 searches × 2 credits per 10 results = 200,000 credits. Growth is $333 a month, billed yearly, for 500,000 credits. That leaves 300,000 credits for reading pages.
How the hourly limits work
Throughput means how many searches a tool will run for you in an hour.
SearchApi lets you use up to 20% of your plan's searches in any one hour. The math: on Production, 20% of 35,000 is 7,000 searches an hour.
SerpApi promises a set number per hour on each plan. Big Data promises 6,000 an hour.
When to stay on SerpApi
Stay on SerpApi if you run 1,000 searches a month or fewer. Starter is $25 for 1,000 searches, and SearchApi's smallest plan is $40.
SerpApi gives a full refund within 7 days, unless you have used more than 20% of your plan.
SerpApi has no overage, which is a small fee for going a little past your limit. If you run out, it renews your plan early at the full price. If your volume jumps around, that is the main reason to move.
Common questions
What is the cheapest SerpApi alternative?▾
For Google results, SearchApi. The math: at 30,000 searches a month it costs $100 against SerpApi's $275.
Does SerpApi have plans above 30,000 searches?▾
Yes. Searcher is $725 for 100,000 searches, Volume is $1,475 for 250,000, and Infrastructure is $2,750 for 500,000.
Do these tools charge for failed searches?▾
SerpApi and SearchApi charge only for searches that work. Firecrawl charges 1 credit for a page that answers with an error like 404.
What is a search API?▾
An API is a way for your own code to ask a tool for data. A search API runs a Google search for your code and sends back the results as data.
Can I try SearchApi for free?▾
Yes. SearchApi gives you 100 free searches, with no card.
what to do next
What to do next
Count the searches your code runs in a normal week, and multiply by four. If you only need Google results, start with SearchApi and its 100 free searches. If you also need the text of each page, use Firecrawl. For the full SerpApi price ladder, read SerpApi pricing. Try SearchApi Try Firecrawl